The servant
by arien043
Summary: Harry couldn't forget the look on Dumbledore's face before he died. When Snape proposes an alliance, Harry senses a trap. But with no idea how to destroy Voldemort, can Harry afford not to accept the help of the Dark Lord's most trusted servant?
1. The letter

_Thanks to my betas, PennilynNovus and Chthonia_

--

**Chapter 1**

'Just ten minutes more, and I'll be seventeen,' thought Harry impatiently.

At last, the clock struck twelve. With a flash of light, a phoenix appeared.

Fawkes?' he whispered. He pinched himself hard, and grimaced. The bird cocked its head to the side and thrusting the letter that it carried in its beak at Harry.

Harry's hands shook as he took the letter. He recognized the writing on the thick envelope.

_Dear Harry,_

First of all, I would like to wish you a very happy seventeenth birthday. As of today, you are no longer an underage wizard. I would like to pride myself on being the first to congratulate you. Alas, the fact that you are reading this letter means that I am now incapable of doing so in person.

I want you to know just how proud I am of you, Harry. It is not for nothing that Voldemort fears you. You have displayed an extraordinary amount of courage as you handled your many dangerous and frightening encounters.

_However, the greatest weapon you possess is love - the power the Dark Lord knows not. Do not regret showing mercy even to those who appear unworthy of it. __Mercy does not fight violence with violence, but it may yet help you win this war. When you refrain from exacting revenge on one who deserves punishment, you leave that person in your debt. __Mercy is an expression of undeserved love that is freely given. It is __this that will defeat Voldemort. Love has defeated him before, and it remains the key to the complete destruction of his soul. _

_Harry, I do not want you to be distressed by the events which must have taken place recently. Rest assured that I was always well aware of what was happening. I cannot explain my reasons for allowing these events to take place. I must plead with you to trust my judgment and carry out the task below exactly as I ask you to. _

_Fawkes will now take you to my house. Go alone, as the enchantments protecting the place are set to allow entrance to only the few I trust completely. There you will find help in your mission to destroy the Horcruxes. Accept this help, Harry, despite any misgivings you may feel. Your questions will be answered in due time, if you do as I expect. For there are more ways than one to leave an imprint of one's self behind. _

_Read carefully, and remember my words. _

_I love you, Harry._

_- Albus Dumbledore_

Harry looked up from the parchment in his hands, his head whirling with questions. He stared ahead blankly as he tried to take in his late headmaster's last request, wondering what help the old wizard had provided. Fawkes chirruping finally caught his attention.

'Sorry, Fawkes,' he murmured.

Harry felt around under his pillow for his wand and rummaged through his trunk for his money bag. He glanced around the room one last time. Satisfied, he stretched out his hand towards the phoenix, and disappeared from the room.


	2. The servant

_Thanks to my betas, PennilynNovus and Chthonia_

--

**Chapter 2  
**

The shadowy figure paced the room. His research through the many dusty tomes of forgotten Dark Arts had been fruitful. Spells had been crafted and potions tested and presented to his master. Plans had been carefully laid, every minute detail scrutinized. There was no room for error. _There would be no errors, _Severus told himself_. _

His orders had been simple enough. Corner the brat at the Dumbledore house and offer him a deal: Severus' life in return for Severus' assistance. There were powerful enchantments surrounding the house, allowing but a few into it. Fortunately he had still numbered among the trusted when those enchantments had been cast.

His head bowed in defeat. _His master was insane. Potter couldn't be that foolish, no matter how idiotic he was in class. He_ _would never dream of considering it. Surely Potter would not_ _hesitate two seconds before bathing him in green light, the way he himself had done to Dumbledore. _Disobedience, however, was not an option his master offered.

'_Lead the boy to the Slytherin locket,' _his master had said. '_Help him cross the many obstacles that block the path, save the last one. Do not let him cross the final barrier,_ _or your life as well as his will be forfeit. Deep magic will take place that night at the site of the real Horcrux.'_

His master's final words to him were, '_Lie low, as you have been told, lest any harm befall you.'_

Severus glanced up at the mirror. His master had ordered him to rest and to build his strength, pointing out that Severus would need it to duel the boy. But he wondered why he should bother.

He roused out of his misery long enough to check on the forlorn boy on the sofa. At least he was safe now.

The Dark Lord, pleased with Severus' actions, had rewarded him. Severus had asked for the boy as his reward, and the Dark Lord had granted his request with twisted amusement.

_At least Draco will suffer no further torment, _Severus chided himself, as he contemplated the pale face of his charge. He had always taken his duties as the Head of Slytherin house very seriously, and the Unbreakable Vow he had made had only strengthened his resolve to protect his former pupil. He woke the boy gently, and began to explain.

The fair head drooped and the boy's lips quivered as he realised that his protector was leaving to seek Harry Potter. The person who thirsted most for his blood. Severus told Draco that he had made arrangements for him. As his former teacher incanted the final words of the concealing charms, a tear ran down the boy's cheek. Severus barely managed to retain the blank mask on his face as he held his godson tightly.

At last, he broke away. 'It is time,' he said, raising the pointed chin with one hand. 'Stay well and carry out my bidding.' Draco choked, but nodded.

Severus Disapparated with a heavy heart.


	3. The meeting

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 3  
**

Fawkes deposited Harry on the floor in a blinding flash of light. Harry blinked, and looked around the room. His attention was drawn to a portrait in front of him, and his heart beat fast as he looked up into the twinkling eyes of Albus Dumbledore._ 'There are more ways than one to leave an imprint of one's self behind,' _Harry recalled, exhaling rapidly.

Before he could compose himself enough to speak, he heard a cold voice behind him.

'Potter,' it sneered.

Harry whirled around to find a wand pointed at his head. He was instantly disarmed with a lazy 'Expelliarmus'. Fury rose in his heart as he faced the man who had killed Albus Dumbledore. Harry lunged at him, but was thrown backwards by a surprisingly forceful Jelly Legs Jinx.

A strange expression crossed Snape's face before it smoothed into the usual blank mask. 'Caught unaware?' he mocked. 'I certainly never expected to have the famous Harry Potter at my feet, unarmed,' he said.

Harry struggled to his feet and wobbled his way towards Snape, who avoided him easily. Summoning two chairs, Snape sat down.

'Sit,' he told Harry, who ignored him, stumbling forward on shaky legs.

'I told you to sit, Mr. Potter,' Snape said silkily, using a nonverbal spell to glue Harry to his seat. Harry staggered in a valiant attempt to walk with a chair stuck to his rear. Snape sighed, and spelled Harry's feet to the ground.

'Why play at childish hexes when you've already used Unforgivables?' Harry spat out. 'Lost your nerve?'

'I am here to make you a proposition, Mr. Potter,' Snape began.

'Do you honestly think I would agree to whatever it is you want?' Harry interrupted in disbelief. 'You can't expect me to believe you aren't Voldemort's most favoured servant. You betrayed Dumbledore! The man who took you in and protected you. You killed him, you sniveling coward!' Harry seethed.

The older wizard's eyes narrowed. '_Langlock_!' With that, Harry was rendered speechless. They glared at each other venomously. 'I am not here to discuss ethics,' he answered curtly. 'I am here to make you an offer. One that you might need,' he said mockingly, 'in order to fulfill your _heroic_ duties.' Harry shot him a filthy look as he listened in forced silenceas Snape continued.

'You know next to nothing about the Dark Lord's Horcruxes. You do not know where to find them. Even if you did stumble across one, you would not know how to destroy it. I do.' This time, the sneer on Snape's face surpassed the many that had flitted across it earlier. 'This is my proposal: I will assist you in locating the Horcruxes. You will trust me and refrain from killing me until we reach the final Horcrux.'

Harry was both shocked and suspicious. Snape not only knew about the Horcruxes but was offering to help destroy them.

His tongue disengaged from the roof of his mouth as Snape flicked his wand. 'Why would a murderous Death Eater help me destroy Voldemort's soul? Why should I trust you? How do I know that this isn't a trap - that you aren't going to kill me or take me to Voldemort?' he shot back.

'My reasons are none of your concern, Potter. Rest assured that if I had planned on killing you, you would be dead by now,' said Snape calmly. 'And if I had wanted to present you to the Dark Lord, you would now be standing in front of him. I would have Stunned and bound you instead of jinxing you politely.' His dark eyes glittered. 'However, I have no doubt that you will be face to face with my master when you reach the final Horcrux. As for trust…' he shrugged.

Thoughts whirled through Harry's head. He did not believe the fugitive Potions master. He would _more_ likely lead Harry into a trap. Still, what the bastard said was true: Harry hadn't an inkling of how to proceed with what he had dubbed _Operation Horcrux_, and this was the only lead he had_._ He caught sight of Dumbledore's portrait, who was listening to every word.

'Sir?' he asked the portrait. Snape retreated to the other end of the room to give him some semblance of privacy: out of earshot but still within sight. 'Professor Dumbledore, is this the help you wrote about?' Harry whispered urgently. The portrait nodded silently.

'But Sir… Snape… he murdered you!' Harry stuttered.

Dumbledore's face was serious as he nodded again.

'You can't expect me to trust him!' cried Harry in disbelief. 'You're here… why don't you just tell me what to do? I don't need _his _help!'

Dumbledore's eyes seemed to plead as he gesticulated silently. Harry couldn't make out what he was trying to say. He was getting frustrated when a thought struck him.

'Can't you speak?' he asked, afraid of the answer.

Dumbledore shook his head.

'Must I?' Harry said.

Dumbledore nodded for the third time.

Harry was in two minds. He didn't trust Snape one bit, but Dumbledore seemed insistent on this. Making up his mind at last, he glanced at Snape and found that he was watching him from the other side of the room with an inscrutable expression. Harry nodded stiffly.


	4. The alliance

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 4  
**

Harry was exhausted. The encounter with the last Dark Creature had drained him. _If not for Snape's crash course in Dark curses and antijinxes that first night, I would be dead by now, _Harry acknowledged silently. He recalled the many dangerous magical obstacles they had had to get through to reach the Horcruxes, realizing that he would never have made it through if not for Snape's help. The odourless fumes from the poison marshes would have killed him painlessly, if Snape had not warned him to use a Bubblehead Charm. The Venus Flying traps would have been an agonizing end. While resembling the carnivorous plant he had seen in pictures in his primary school, these were far larger, more mobile and did not prey merely on insects.

Despite the intensive reading he had done over the summer, he was woefully ignorant.

_I don't know why he's bothering to help, but I'm glad he is. _Thinking back, he wondered at the information about soul-shattering spells that he had coaxed out of Snape. Had he realised Harry was pumping him for information on how to destroy a Horcrux? Harry continued to speculate as to why Voldemort allowed his most favouredDeath Eater to do this.

Harry didn't know what to make of Snape. He had since realised that the older man had grieved at having to kill his mentor. The surly man had guided him safely through to this point, providing the help Dumbledore had promised. Harry surmised that it was an apology of sorts to Dumbledore – a last contribution to the Light before handing Harry over to the Dark Lord.

They climbed steadily through the never-ending jungle. At last, they came up short as the unseen path led them to a dead end. Solid rock stretched up above their heads at a sheer angle. Harry's heart sank. He started to speak, but the older man waved him aside impatiently, taking out his wand and a small vial.

Taking aim, Snape incanted a spell, and threw the vial at the rock. The vial soared through the air, guided by the spell, and shattered against the rock.

Nothing happened.

'I think you need a more corrosive potion to melt solid rock,' said Harry dryly, as they stared up at the rocky cliff.

Snape ignored him.

Gradually, the surrounding rock began to glow faintly in the moonlight. An entrance appeared high above their heads, where the vial had shattered. Harry gaped in amazement.

Snape just sniffed. Turning, he bent forward and began searching the jungle floor. After a while he stopped and took out his wand.

'Stand there,' he told Harry imperiously, indicating a tree in the distance.

Harry took a few steps back reluctantly, then stopped as Snape paid no heed to him. He watched as Snape cautiously approached a massive creeper that he hadn't spotted before. He wondered a little at that, straining his eyes, and realized that it was wreathed in what seemed to be dense shadow. The shadows moved as the plant stirred, then seemed to sit up. It quivered, and sent large, snaking tendrils towards Snape. He swiftly Stunned the plant with a hex Harry did not recognize. It shimmered for an instant before slumping to the ground. _A Dark spell for a Dark plant_, thought Harry, as he watched Snape crouch down over the unconscious plant. Harry squinted to see what was happening. When Snape straightened back up, he seemed to clutch something in his hands. Harry blinked as the man vanished.

'Snape?' he called out in alarm, rushing forwards.


	5. The alliance continues

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 5  
**

Something caught hold of Harry's sleeve. He twisted away, tripped and fell over.

'My, my, Potter. I thought you were a fearless hero,' a sardonic voice said behind him.

'You… you disappeared…' stuttered Harry.

'It is called Disapparating. I see that your idiocy is not confined to Potions,' the man replied.

'But there wasn't any sound - '

'Yes, well, some of us excel more than others. Apart from matters involving the Press, of course,' said Snape lazily.

Harry was cut off in mid-glower as Snape's fist trembled. He relaxed it slightly to show the puzzled boy the tiny cutting of the plant in his hands. The Stunner seemed to have worn off, for the cutting was struggling valiantly. Glancing back, he saw that the creeper had roused too. It rustled threateningly. Harry was glad that it was too far away to do more than shake a leafy fist at them.

Snape walked back to the cliff and pulled out a circle of thick black cloth and a jar of white powder from his Potions sack. Laying the wriggly cutting on the cloth, he liberally sprinkled the fine powder over it. That calmed it down immediately.

'It needs to dry under the moonlight for seven hours,' the Potions Master informed Harry. Harry watched as he rummaged through the sack again, taking out a bottle of pale yellow liquid. He recognized it as the protective potion he had been forced to drink before facing the more difficult tasks involved in Operation Horcrux. Pavise Protegat, as Snape had called it, was not a foolproof shield. It only conferred a certain degree of protection. For once Harry hadn't said anything when Snape had caustically told him he would need all the help he could get.

The bottle was almost empty.

Snape glanced up at him, frowning.

'I will need to brew a fresh batch of this. We will both need a dose of it before entering the cave,' he said as he searched the sack thoroughly. 'It will not take long. I am missing a few ingredients, but fortunately they may be found in this jungle. Wait here,' he said as he left.

When he returned, he laid down a fistful of iridescent golden berries, delicate yellow ferns and a few malodorous clumps of greenish moss. He began to clean the fresh ingredients. Harry jumped when the moss belched.

Clearing his throat, he said gruffly, 'Need help?'

Snape looked surprised, but after a moment's hesitation, nodded. 'Take the small collapsible cauldron out of my Potions sack and set it up in the clearing. Fill it with equal parts of water and base potion. Add one strand of golden unicorn hair, and bring it to boil. Alert me when it does', he said. 'You _do _know how to tell when something is boiling, don't you?' he added with a sneer.

Harry obeyed with a grimace. He watched his former professor out of the corner of his eye with unwilling admiration as Snape rapidly sliced and diced the ingredients. His hands were swift and sure as he added and stirred, incanting protection charms as he brewed. At last, he stepped back.

'It needs to simmer for another hour. Rest now, I will keep watch,' he said abruptly.

Harry drifted off to sleep.

A shrill cry broke the stillness of the night. Harry awoke with a start and looked around. He saw Snape in a yellow haze, bending over the cauldron as he bottled the potion. He was meticulously careful as he filled each vial, corking it and uttering a final protective charm over it.

He heard the cry again, and peering into the moonlit night, he could just make out a bird chasing a tiny speck in the distance. He settled back, relieved, and watched as they drew steadily nearer. An eagle was hunting a smaller bird – he couldn't identify it – which was carrying something in its beak. The smaller bird darted about in panic, little bits of whatever it was carrying scattering to the ground as it swerved. It flew towards him, close enough that he could make out the bunch of glistening red berries in its beak. Harry watched in horrified fascination as the predator caught up with prey. The smaller bird twitted in pain and the berries dropped out of its beak. Harry shot to his feet as he realized that the birds were right above the cauldron. Snape had impressed upon him that the potion was so volatile that the slightest mis-step could be disastrous. Unknown objects contaminating the potion was bound to be a bad idea.

'No!' Harry and Snape cried in unison, both scrambling to stop the impending disaster. The berries slipped past Snape's outstretched fingers, into the cauldron. Harry stared in horror as yellow flames leaped to life, engulfing both man and cauldron.


	6. The aftermath

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 6  
**

The jungle was silent. Traces of acrid smoke hung in the air. It had taken Harry over an hour to bring the magical blaze under control. His desperate shouts of '_Aguamenti_,' had only fueled the flickering fire. Predictably, Stunning spells had been to no avail. It was the combination of alternating Freezing and Vanishing spells that finally extinguished the flames.

The limp body on the ground didn't stir. Harry peeled the burnt rags away and generously applied burn salve to the scorched flesh. Harry arranged his own outer robes over Snape. Hunting through the Potions sack, he wished he had attended that first-aid Healing course Hermione had been nagging him to accompany her to. He used a Swallowing spell to force some Pepper-Up potion down the man's throat. He followed it with various potions to relieve pain, regrow skin and ended with a Nutrient Potion.

Half a day passed, and Snape remained still. His pulse was faint, his breathing shallow. Harry didn't know what to do. Even his inexperienced eyes could discern the gravity of the man's injuries. He needed a Healer. Harry knew that if he were to Apparate Snape to St. Mungo's or Hogwarts, the man would be sent to Azkaban. He decided that while that would be a just fate, he could not risk doing that as he might not be able to Apparate himself back to his current location to finish his task.

It was growing dark once again. Fear gripped him as he wondered if Voldemort was aware yet of the danger his last Horcrux was in. Time was of the essence. He toyed with the idea of leaving Snape here and continuing by himself. After all, he had saved the man from the magical fire that had injured. Harry had done his best to heal him, and there was nothing more he could do. But Harry knew that leaving an unconscious man alone in the jungle after dark would be as good as putting a nail in his coffin.

The final Horcrux was in that cave, Harry mused. It would not be easy, but with intense concentration, he might be able to Levitate himself to the entrance. Harry was confident he could destroy the final Horcrux without Snape's help. Harry had paid close attention to the spells and potions Snape had used when they had destroyed the other three Horcruxes. He thought he could manage to replicate the spells, and he had found the necessary potions in the sack.

_Why did Snape helped me destroy three Horcruxes?_ Harry questioned himself. He doubted it was truly just a last favour to Dumbledore. Perhaps Snape wanted a more equitable power distribution, and needed Voldemort to be less invincible.

A thought struck him. Voldemort would probably have just found out about his losses. By helping Harry destroy the Horcruxes, Snape had effectively raised the bounty on Harry's head. He had timed it so that he could present Harry to Voldemort at his most furious, thus gaining more trust and approval. A quick Obliviate would prevent Harry from disclosing the help he had been provided. Snape had all but cemented his place as the most loyal servant of them all.

He turned to gaze at Snape again. Idly, he marveled at the irony of the situation. He had longed to kill this man and avenge Albus Dumbledore's death. Now the man lay at death's door, but not by Harry's hand. Harry hadn't forgiven Snape for killing Dumbledore, and the thought of revenge was gratifying. The prospect of his impending betrayal could only add to that satisfaction.

Unbidden, Dumbledore's words echoed in his head. _When you refrain from exacting revenge on one who deserves punishment, you leave that person in your debt… which may aid you when it least seems likely…_

Harry scowled. Snape had as much as warned him that he would face Voldemort after reaching the final Horcrux. _Which would be about now, _thought Harry sourly.Yet,something prevented him from abandoning the man. Snatches of Dumbledore's letter crossed his mind. _Do not regret showing mercy even to those who appear unworthy of it…. It is this __that will defeat Voldemort... It is the key to the complete destruction of his soul…_

Harry sighed. He was not powerful enough to Levitate another person to the entrance of the cave. He dosed Snape again, then settled down to wait beside the unmoving figure.


	7. The awakening

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 7  
**

Fire. His entire body felt as if it were on fire. He heard an agitated voice calling him, but couldn't understand what it was trying to say. Both the voice and the overwhelming pain receded gradually into the background, and he knew no more.

Severus drifted in and out of consciousness.

He awoke to cold, lightheadedness, and pain. He couldn't tell how long he had been unconscious. He forced his breathing to remain even and kept his eyes closed as he tried to orientate himself, a trick he had learned many years ago. Someone forced a vial to his lips and he threw his head back, unwilling to drink the unknown substance.

'Professor Snape?' a familiar voice called softly. _Potter_. Severus opened his eyes blearily. He tried to speak, but his mouth was too parched.

'It's just water. Have some,' Harry offered. Snape drank gratefully and then a vial was pressed to his lips again. The boy explained that it was a Pain Relieving Potion from his potions sack. Pepper-Up Potion and a Nutrient Potion followed. He sank back to the ground in a haze of pain. He was jerked out of his stupor by the feel of cool fingers running gently over his body.

He relaxed when the boy explained, 'It's your burn salve, Professor. You were badly burnt.' He lay still and allowed the boy to apply the cream over his skin. It soothed the pain greatly. He sat up again and took in the sight of the wreckage around him. Memories of the disaster returned. 'The vials of potion you bottled before the accident survived. Luckily you used those protective spells,' Harry said, seeing the frustration in the older wizard's face as he gazed at the ruined cauldron.

Potter had saved his life, he supposed. He was stunned. He would have expected the boy to leave him to die as he deserved. Not only had the boy saved him, he had then stayed by his side to keep the injured man company. The boy was a magnanimous fool. A Gryffindor to the core.

A tiny voice inside told him he should thank the boy. It was quickly buried in an avalanche of snarling fury. Had he worked so hard only to incur a life-debt to yet another Potter? The boy may have put a spoke in his wheel. Merlin only knew how this would interfere with his carefully laid plans.

Panic rose as he remembered the Horcrux in the cave and his master who awaited him. A hard taskmaster. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of what would happen if he failed. He could not allow last night's events to muddle his emotions.

He took a deep breath. Only great mental disciple and sheer force of will would see his plans through, life-debt or no life-debt. Gratitude would certainly sink his ship.

So he scowled at the boy. 'I suppose you had to act on your ever-present heroic tendency to save anyone and everyone,' he scathed. 'Why didn't you leave and resume the task on your own? Don't tell me that your Gryffindor courage deserted you?'


	8. The cutting

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 8  
**

Harry stiffened. 'I almost Levitated myself to the cave. The thought of leaving you to die was very tempting, but –'

'You considered Levitating yourself up?' asked Snape sharply.

'Well, yes – '

'Did it not occur to you that I might have had a reason for not doing the obvious?' he snapped. 'Levitation would have been fatal in this case! Why didn't you use the cutting?'

'The cutting?' said Harry cautiously. 'What was I supposed to have done with it?'

Snape's lip curled. 'Even Muggles have heard of this plant, Potter. I should have known that you would be as oblivious of basic Herbology as you are of everything else. This plant, Potter, is what Muggles call a magical beanstalk.'

'As in Jack and the Beanstalk? But I thought that was a fairy tale,' protested Harry.

'Ignorant as ever, Potter,' taunted Snape with a hint of malice.

'The Muggle story is, of course, romantised and full of inaccuracies. Nonetheless, there is a grain of truth in the tale. A cutting from the plant, if properly prepared, will grow upwards as high as is necessary to penetrate a magically-protected place,' he grunted.

'If you had Levitated yourself up into the cave, you would have died slowly, and in agony. The protections around this place are so strong that only this beanstalk would allow entry. The plant possesses magical properties that can, when augmented under moonlight with Asphodel, counter the strongest protective charms,' Snape informed him.

_The boy's ignorance is astounding, _thought Severus as he watched Harry's jaw drop.

'So Jack and the Beanstalk is real, but the beanstalk comes from a cutting, not a bean?' repeated Harry slowly.

'How many times do you want me to repeat that?' Snape said edgily. He waved his wand and cleared the mess on the ground. All traces of the accident disappeared. He then deigned to explain further. 'It is prepared with powdered Asphodel flowers, not root. These white flowers have their own protective properties. Muggle mythology has it that they grow in abundance in Hades, shielding us from unwanted visitors.'

Snape gathered the surviving vials of Protective Potion. He handed one to Harry and drank down the contents of another. He impatiently indicated for Harry to do the same. Swiftly stowing the other vials away, he carefully Levitated the cloth holding the prepared cutting. 'The entire apparatus should be buried a foot underground, directly below the entrance to the cave,' Snape lectured, as he did just that.

Harry watched in wonder as curling green tendrils snaked out of the earth silently, spiraling up towards the cave entrance. Snape sneered at his expression.

'Imitate,' he barked. He grasped the stem and stepped onto a twist in the plant. Rising gracefully as if on a magical staircase, he vanished into the cave.

Harry nudged the dark green tendril with his foot. It lay motionless, seeming to be quite tame. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the stem with both hands as he placed a foot onto a twist. The wind whistled past him as he rocketed upwards. Dizzy, he clutched at the stem even more tightly.

The plant grunted and threw him off violently. He landed unceremoniously in the mouth of the cave. A sneaking tendril pinched him painfully before the plant retreated. Shakily, he tried to get to his feet.

Perhaps digging his fingers in had been a bad idea.


	9. The breaking of the barrier

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 9  
**

Harry stood still as his eyes tried to adjust to the oppressive darkness. He made out the motionless figure of his formerprofessor standing in front of him in the narrow tunnel. Beyond that was a shimmering wall. 'Astounding, Potter. You made it into the cave without anyone holding your hand. More courage than your father would have shown,' Snape jeered.

'Don't talk like that about my father, you coward!' Harry hissed angrily.

'I am no coward, Potter. Your father, however was one. Only he would consider fighting a man who was outnumbered to be fair game,' he mocked bitterly. Snape continued to taunt the boy, walking a tightrope as he tried to purge the feelings of shame and gratitude out of his system, without pushing the boy far enough to lose control.

'Enough!' growled Harry, seething after this continued for a long while. 'I didn't come here to make small talk. Just shut up and get it over with, Snape. Unlike the coward that you are, I am not afraid to take on your master.'

Snape glared at him and Harry glared right back. 'I hope you remember how to approach the Horcrux?' Snape enquired in a deadly tone.

'Who wouldn't, if they had had to do it three times with _you_?' returned Harry frostily. Snape ignored this.

'The Dark Lord has additional protections on his Horcrux familiar. Thus, our approach differs. We must cast simultaneously. That means, Potter, we carry out our tasks at the same time,' he said smoothly.

'I know what the word means!' said Harry indignantly.

'Exceeds expectations, Potter,' mocked Snape.

'I reiterate. You wait neither for me to finish casting potion or spell before casting yours!' he said. 'We must synchronize our efforts as this particular Horcrux is of a different… nature. Those quick Seeker reflexes should prevent you from lagging behind… or was your position secured by a scar instead of skill?' he said in derision.

Harry fumed, but refused to rise to the bait. 'Then what?' he asked tightly.

'After the final barrier is breached, you will distract the serpent by engaging it in...conversation,' he said in obvious distaste. 'I will kill it.'

Harry nodded warily. He approached the shimmering wall with his wand out.

He turned his head to see Snape just behind him with wand at the ready. He had a gleam in his eye that Harry did not quite like. He suspected that Snape had something up his sleeve. He started to move to the side, unwilling to have an enemy at his back.

Harry had merely a grunt as a warning before Snape hurled his first hex at the barrier, narrowly missing him.

Harry shouted angrily at the near miss but bit back further response. He wasted no time in countering it. Miraculously, his counter-spell landed mere seconds after Snape's did.

'Keep up, Potter!' yelled Snape.

'I would if you warned me before hexing, you arse!' Harry roared back.

'I did, you arrogant brat! Pay attention!' Snape bellowed as he sent another hex at the wall.

Harry's reflexes caught up with him and his counter-spell landed at the same time.

Curse after Dark curse sped at the shimmering barrier. The counter-spells shot out in perfect synchrony. The insults and vicious barbs that flew between the two little affected their concentration. Harry manfully ignored jibes about his father and godfather being bullies, while Snape paid no attention to comments about throwing stones from greasy glass houses. Although neither lost a step in casting, both quickly became riled.

Just as Harry thought he would lose control ofhis tightly-reined in anger, Snape rasped out, 'The potion!' as he cast a vial of viscous black potion at the centre of the wall. Harry instantly threw his vial of fluorescent silver fluid after it.

The vials shattered together and the shimmering barrier dimmed for an instant. Snape began incanting spells of Dark power even as Harry incanted Dark countercurses. The darkness lightened as a dazzling bolt of light struck the wall, shattering it. They paused, and for a moment, the cave was silent.


	10. The spell

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus_

--

**Chapter 10**

The silence soon gave way to an angry hissing.

_What frightensss me and disssturbsss my ssssleep? _a sibilant voice said.

They heard a rustling sound, and Harry spied a shadowy shape at the end of the room. The massive snake moved faster than Harry expected and he belatedly remembered his task.

_Why ssso frightened, O ssslithering one?_ Harry hissed back.

_A ssspeaking man, _the snake mused warily, drawing a little closer to scrutinize Harry with its scarlet eyes._ Ssssmall, with sssshadowed hair and green eyess, _it said. In a blink of an eye, it coiled tightly to strike, hissing, _It bears the sssscar…. it is the One that threatensss me –_

'_Avada Kedavra!'_ cried Snape. Green light poured from his wand, enveloping the coiled serpent. It lay unmoving on the floor. 'Quickly!' he said, throwing yet another vial of potion at the snake, a flickering greenish haze.

The green vapour spread across the serpent's body, swirling slowly around it, as they incanted the harsh syllables of the soul-shattering curse in unison. A wild wind began to blow. Both braced themselves, knowing what was to come.

Freezing winds buffeted them at high velocity, but they stood their ground and repeated the curse. The winds grew fiercer, trying to distract them, seeking to end the spell that would destroy the Horcrux. Harry was knocked off his feet by the gale and landed on his knees. He doggedly continued chanting the spell over and over, not breaking the momentum of the curse. Mentally, he cursed Snape for being able to keep to his feet.

Hailstones the size of bludgers rained down on them. They acted like bludgers too - hurtling back towards them after every hit. Both shielded themselves as best they could, never stopping the flow of words. Harry ignored the blood dripping from his wounds. He felt a bit lightheaded.

Distorted images of the other man floated about him... Snape bullying him in class… Snape's sneering face as Harry tried to tell him that Sirius was in the Department of Mysteries... the hate on Snape's face as he killed Dumbledore. A murderous rage built up within. Harry knew instinctively that if he stopped chanting, they would both die. _This is your chance, _a voice in his mind said triumphantly.

'_Do not regret showing mercy …. it is this that will defeat Voldemort,'_ Dumbledore's words echoed in his head urgently.

Harry was torn in two. He felt dizzy and befuddled, but he continued casting.

After a long while, the winds died down and the hail stopped.

There was a flash of dazzling golden light. Nagini flew ten feet into the air and landed back with a sickening thud. They both stared at it numbly. There was a long silence as the bloodied and battered pair recovered. Snape looked as bad as Harry felt.

'Now that the last Horcrux is destroyed, Mr. Potter,' panted Snape, 'you shall meet my master.'

Harry twisted around to face Snape, who had sunk down to his knees.

'Harry Potter,' called a chillingly familiar voice behind them.


	11. The master

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus_

--

**Chapter 11  
**

Harry stared in shock as he gazed upon the benevolent face of the late Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. He reached for his wand instantly, suspecting that this was another of Voldemort's deceptions. He was disarmed by Severus Snape before he even pulled his wand out.

'You are both injured,' the white-bearded wizard said in concern. He flicked his wand and the blood stains vanished with a quick Cleansing Charm. Another flick, and their wounds were bandaged magically. He drew up three comfortable chairs, settling down in one as he conjured a tea tray. Wordlessly, he poured three cups of steaming tea, and signaled for them to help themselves to the chocolate biscuits. Severus pushed himself up, accepted the tea, and sank into the chair wearily. Harry remained where he was, on the floor.

'Harry, you must be feeling very confused right now. Understandably so -' the shade of Dumbledore began.

'What are you playing at, Voldemort?' Harry croaked.

The wizard beamed over his half-moon spectacles. 'Very good, Harry. Very good. I am glad that you thought I was Voldemort. It is always wiser err on the side of caution. However, I am not Voldemort. I truly am who I appear to be, Harry.'

'Dumbledore is dead,' spat Harry, 'at the hands of that man!' He jerked his head towards the silent Snape. 'I saw him do it myself!'

'It is always best to be precise, Harry. What you saw was Severus uttering the words of the Killing Curse, and me falling through the window,' chided the older man.

Harry glowered. 'So you claim to have survived a Killing Curse _and_ a fall from the Astronomy Tower? How dare you mock him by assuming his identity, Tom?'

Snape made a strangled sound. The others looked at him, and he said faintly, 'You fool, Potter. If that were truly the Dark Lord, you would be dead by now for using that name.' He gave the elderly wizard a watery smile.

His eyes twinkled in response. 'Harry, it is really me,' he said gently. 'Ask me something that only you and I would know the answer to.'

'What did I see in the Mirror of Erised?' asked Harry tonelessly.

'You saw yourself happy, with your family initially. At a later time, you saw yourself finding the Philosopher's Stone in your pocket.' Dumbledore replied.

Harry thought hard. 'When you came to fetch me from my uncle's place last year, why was I not ready?'

Dumbledore smiled a little sadly. 'You did not believe I would come for you.' Harry paled a little at this.

'How did Sirius Black escape the night Snape caught him?' whispered Harry.

'You went back in time with Ms. Granger, saved Buckbeak the Hippogriff from execution and rode on his back to rescue Sirius who escaped on Buckbeak,' said Dumbledore quietly. Snape's head jerked up, but he kept silent.

Harry stared uncertainly at Dumbledore. 'How?' he whispered, 'how is it possible?'

'It was a deception to the public, Harry,' he said. 'Sit down, and have some tea. It is a long story.'


	12. The explanations

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 12  
**

'It all began when Severus was forced to make an Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco Malfoy and assist him in a mission to kill me. It was a choice between making the Vow or betraying his position, something I had ordered him not to do until we could glean more information about the Horcruxes. Severus was most distressed when he came to tell me what had occurred.'

'We searched for spells that might help me survive the various attempts that would be made on my life. At that time, we found none suitable, although there had been a few that were close. One such spell, Harry, was the Doppelgangus. The only problem was that it required the object – me – to be incapacitated by Dark magic,' said the headmaster.

'Dark…? Like the Killing Curse?' asked Harry, trembling.

'No, Harry. The Killing Curse itself is not a Dark spell. Consider – it was once used many moons ago, as a means of merciful death to those cursed to die in agony. No, it is not Dark. Merely misused. Dark magic, Harry, is what Voldemort uses to ward his Horcruxes. Truly Dark spells which I hope you will never need to comprehend,' replied the headmaster sombrely.

'So this spell, Professor. How can it …?' he trailed off, feeling too inadequate to express himself eloquently.

'Ah yes. The Doppelgangus. Essentially, it is a Healing spell. It splits a cursed person into two,' the old wizard replied calmly.

'Split? Like a Muggle clone? Or like a Horcrux?' squeaked Harry.

'Neither. A Muggle clone has a separate soul from the original person – two bodies, two souls. A Horcrux splits a soul into half, lodging part of it in an object – one body, half a soul. The Doppelgangus _temporarily_ houses one soul in two different bodies at the same time,' he replied.

Dumbledore noticed that Harry looked lost, and sighed.

'Maybe I should explain about the ring first. As you know, I received a curse from Slytherin's ring – an ancient and Dark curse designed to drain my life. Somewhat painfully too. Severus, fortunately, brewed me a potion that slowed the curse down, thus temporarily stoppering death. However, this potion could only prolong my life, it could not heal me.'

'I was very close to death. My wand arm was the first to be drained of life. It was only a matter of time before the rest of my body followed suit. We realised that I fulfilled the prerequisite criteria for the Doppelgangus spell – I was dying from a deadly and powerful Dark curse. The Doppelgangus could heal me by creating a new body that was free from the curse. After some time, the originally cursed body would die. It is something like switching bodies. Remember – one soul, two bodies. For a limited time only,' the great wizard explained.

'The Doppelgangus requires an intricate blend of complex potions and difficult charms. Severus took care of the potions, and I concentrated on building enough power to perform the complicated charms. I won't go into the details of the spell. Suffice to say, not many wizards would be able to perform it, but we did.'

'When the spell was cast, a new body appeared in front of me. It was very disconcerting to stare at the exact replica of yourself, voice included. I was in both bodies at once. Each body was independent of the other, yet aware of the other, even across great distances. You can appreciate the possibilities that presented to me. I had the perfect alibi for anything. But of course, I knew I had limited time in the cursed body, for it was destined to die.'

'That was why I was willing to drink an unknown potion to retrieve the Slytherin locket. That was why I pleaded with Severus to kill me, and secure his place in Voldemort's fold. It was the only way we could get information about the Horcrux's location,' continued the old wizard.

'It's… it's a good thing you had that spell handy,' said Harry faintly.


	13. The explanations continue

_Thanks to my beta, PennilynNovus _

--

**Chapter 13  
**

Harry's voice grew stronger. 'But I don't understand why Voldemort didn't use the spell himself all those years ago, when he was trying to get a new body.'

'The spell can only be performed on a living body fatally cursed with Dark magic. And there are drawbacks,' said Snape hoarsely.

Dumbledore threw him a look of reproach.

'Drawbacks?' asked Harry fearfully.

'Yes, Potter. The headmaster will never get a proper night's sleep again, Snape said tersely.

'What do you mean?'

'That's enough of that, Severus,' interrupted Dumbledore. 'I merely do not sleep as soundly as I used to.'

Snape snorted. 'Doubtless. One cannot sleep soundly if one cannot sleep peacefully.'

'You mean… nightmares, sir?' asked Harry hesitantly, thinking of his own nocturnal visions.

'Precisely, Harry,' answered Dumbledore swiftly, throwing Snape another warning glance.

Harry looked up at Snape. 'So the master you referred to was actually Professor Dumbledore?' he asked.

Snape nodded, and Harry was silent for a moment.

'I apologize for … everything,' he trailed off.

Severus nodded brusquely

Harry was startled by Snape's unexpectedly neutral response and stared at him, wondering if a stray spell had left lingering effects on the sour Potions Master.

'We could not tell you any of this,' said Dumbledore, 'for we learned that Voldemort had placed additional protections on his Horcruxes. There was only one safe way to destroy them. It had to be brought forth in the spirit of enmity.'

'But how, sir?' exclaimed Harry.

'The magic that surrounded it was so Dark and powerful, it would taken deep hatred to reach it. Not merely a single wizard's hatred of Voldemort, but intense loathing between two enemies. Anything less than that would have triggered the wards, causing the destruction of everything in the vicinity. The only suitable people for the task were you and Severus. That was yet another reason why Severus had to appear guilty of my death. To create strong enough animosity between you both to get to the Horcruxes safely.'

Harry turned to Snape.

'When the hailstorm came up, I had strange visions,' Harry said quietly.

'That, Harry, was a part of the enchantments Voldemort concocted,' said Dumbledore. 'They were built to befuddle the mind when the wards protecting the Horcrux were about to collapse. They were meant to incite violence, even murder.'

Harry had the grace to look embarrassed, and asked Snape 'Then why weren't you affected?'

'I was,' Snape replied. 'It was the headmaster that prevented us from acting on the impulse.'

'That was really your voice that I heard?' Harry asked Dumbledore in amazement. 'How did you know what I was thinking?'

'Legilimency, Potter,' said Snape in a tired voice.

Harry was silent.

'Where have you been all this while?' Harry asked Dumbledore after he had absorbed all this information.

'I was there, invisible, at the site of each Horcrux. While the two of you cast soul-shattering spells, I cast the most powerful charms I could to dispel the soul fragments so that they could never be put together again. I don't know if you noticed my magic blending with yours and Severus' – a flash of golden light,' he said.

Harry's head was spinning with all the new information. 'I believe that's enough for today,' said Dumbledore, seeing this.

Harry nodded, and on impulse, hugged his tired-looking Headmaster. 'I'm glad you're back, Professor Dumbledore,' he whispered in the old man's ear. 'And thank you, Professor Snape,' he said, extending a hand to Snape, who hesitated before shaking it reluctantly.

'We will talk again tomorrow, Harry,' Dumbledore promised him as they Apparated home.


End file.
